Vikram Kapur shifted from Tangedco to tourism dept

Chennai

Principal secretary Pradeep Yadav, who is managing director of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd will be holding full additional charge as CMD of Tangedco.

Home Secretary SK Prabakar would be holding full additional charge of the energy department while relieving Principal Secretary A Karthik, who was holding the additional charge till now.

The transfers in the Tangedco and the Energy Department has come amid the public outcry over the spike in electricity bills for the lockdown period when the meter reading was not taken. After actor Prasanna vented out his ire in a twitter post, the increased electricity bills have become major a political issue with the Opposition parties urging the state to provide some relief to the consumers in terms of waiving off power bills as many have lost their jobs or have no income.

Sources in Tangedco said that the industries have lobbied against the utility and the energy secretary for successfully appealing in the Appellate Tribunal of Electricity (APTEL) over the TNERC order directing the utility to provide a 70 per cent concession to high tension consumers on minimum demand charges as per existing norms during the lockdown period from March 24 to May 3.

The government also transferred Shambu Kallolikar, who was holding the post of principal secretary, Environment and Forest Department to the Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textile and Khadi Department. Dr Sandeep Saxena, who was secretary of the Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments Departments will take charge of the Environment and Forest Department.